Who should be Team USA's captain?

Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesIs Dustin Brown the right choice to be Team USA's captain in Sochi?

What should the Penguins do with all their defensemen? Who should be the No. 1 target for Stars GM Jim Nill? Should Ted Nolan return in Buffalo? All this and more in this week’s hockey mailbag. If you want to be featured in next week’s mailbag, send your questions, hockey ideas and observations in here.

It’s hard to say that a Penguins deal is imminent regarding Despres, considering teams that will look to spend to the cap aren’t necessarily eager to start adding salary right now. If you’re trading a player of value, you do it when there are the most possible suitors, and that’s going to be much closer to the trade deadline, most likely after the Olympic roster freeze is lifted.

As for his value, that’s a tough one. It’s safe to say he’s been passed by some of the other young Penguins defensemen, and Pittsburgh fans who might expect an Alex Goligoski-like return will be disappointed. To me, he’s more of an added value trade piece in a deal, rather than a guy you can build a trade around. Inquiring teams will certainly wonder why he’s lost the trust of Dan Bylsma, as colleague Rob Rossi has speculated. But he’s still just 22 years old, with size (6-foot-4) and skill. That’s an attractive asset. He could be part of a package for a guy like Mike Cammalleri or closer to straight-up for a forward you might play further down the lineup.

Who would you name Captain of Team USA and why?
Jeremy Beyer, Florida

Hey Craig. Saw in the last mailbag your mention that Dustin Brown would be the likely Team USA captain. I don't want to debate whether he will be; my expectation is he will (at the time of this writing, not sure anything is official), but I'm wondering if it's really a good idea. I understand Brown's pros, but frankly, for non-Kings fans, particularly fans of teams that see Brown a lot, his reputation is that of a cheap-shot artist who plays over the edge and embellishes more than the average player (to say the least). Is that really the kind of guy we want representing Team USA as the leader? I'd much rather pick any one of Callahan, Suter, Parise or Backes instead of Brown. I understand the importance of including him on the roster, but his style of play really shouldn't be one Team USA is lifting up as one to emulate. Am I way off base? Would appreciate hearing your take.
Sean, SoCal

I’ll put those two questions together, because this is a great debate.

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

Craig Custance

Craig Custance joined ESPN in September 2011 as an NHL reporter for ESPN the Magazine, ESPN Insider and ESPN.com. A graduate of Michigan State University, he lived for nearly a decade in Georgia working for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution where he spent time covering the late Atlanta Thrashers. He was the only Thrashers beat writer to get the team to the playoffs.

From 2008-11 he was the national hockey writer for the Sporting News, writing regularly in print and online. A member of the PHWA, he's a proud voter for the major NHL awards and can occasionally defend his selections.

Like hockey, he left Atlanta to return north where he currently lives in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, with his wife Cassie and their three kids.